GQs or MPSIMS? Hmmmm…
Since this is pretty mundane, so, in honor of today’s ‘How Stuff Works’, anyone ever find good deals at pawn shops?
And does anyone know any decent ones on Long Island, NY?
No, but I did see something incredibly depressing at the pawn shop on 8th Avenue and 43rd Street. A family photo album, full of snapshots from the 1950s–70s. Weddings, vacations, reuinions, graduations. Wound up in a pawn shop. Enough to make Baby Jesus cry.
Yup, of course it was owned by a friend so I knew the stuff wasn’t hot nor was it crappy.
Bought a microwave and a bike from him. He also gave us a almost brand-new VCR when our old one puked.
Microwave works great and I ride the bike to work as often as I can.
Oh that is sad, Eve!
I don’t frequent pawn shops, but according to my brother they’re marvelous places to get computer games.
A friend of mine was a struggling trumpet player and had hocked his horn once. Then went back when someone else was in the shop and then took out the second valve and put it in wrong. He then showed the ‘broken’ horn to the worker who then promptly sold it to him cheap.
I pick up tools at pawn shops all the time. I got a SnapOn 1" drive socket set for $80 once.
I got a like-new Olympus OM-10 and 50mm lens for $100.
Never been in a Pawn shop but LOVE thrift shops.
Got a 14 Kt gold ankle bracelet for a dollar.
New Dingo boots for four dollars
great sweaters for a dollar
An exact duplicate of my kid’s favorite stuffed animal, years after the original bit the dust. He thought it was Big Red reincarnated and took great care of the toy from that day to this and the kid is now 11. All for 2.50!
There are a couple in Riverhead, Long Island.
There used to be two on Main Street, one of which sold musical instruments. I got some good deals on used guitars there, but then the proprietor decided he liked dealing in musical instruments. He started going to guitar shows and then learned the real value of what he was selling. Next thing you know, he shut down his pawn shop and started selling music stuff exclusively.
The other shop on Main Street is still there, though.
In Hampton, Va, I watched a guy purchase a drum set that was worth about 2500 bucks (ayotte custom) for 500 dollars. I was kicking myself in the ass for not showing up earlier, I would have traded a kidney for that set…ahh well…
Oh I got some GREAT deals at a pawn shop. But it was an absolute bitch having to go to the five other stores for rooks bishops knights kings and queens.
Just a few weeks ago, I was in Salem, New Hampshire. I got an AMAZING Craftsman chop saw with compound ability- $ 50.00… I love it.
I bought an antique French Horn (e flat), string-levers, for $35.00. Played like a dream once I gave it a bath.
I also bought some estate jewellery, $50 bought me a lovely (seemed at the time) pearl choker, and jet choker and earrings.
I have also bought sheet music in pawn shops. Who would think?
Oh, hell ya!
I get fabulous deals on jewelry, tools, musicial instruments and leather jackets at the pawn shops around Stillwater. The staff at my favorite one will even haggle with me one some things and have been known to throw in my cheapest purchase for free when I buy several things.
My dad got my mandolin in a pawnshop, for something like 50 dollars or so. It plays just beautifully now.
Not a pawn shop deal, but got an awesome Zenith floor model TV (great big ol’ wooden jobby–more like a piece of furniture than a TV) at Goodwill for $60. Lasted for 7 years. I think I got my money’s worth. I was so sad when it finally bit the dust.
My current TV is from a pawn shop, though. A nice 19-inch Sharp. Got it for $70.
Oops, almost forgot–our wedding rings. Got a matched set of plain gold bands (precisely what we wanted) for $90.
Lot’s of good cd’s for less than $5,
several nice jewelry deal, including replacement His and Hers gold wedding bands for my husband and myself.
His a plain but absolutely gorgeous wide comfort band weighing 10 grams, cost $100.
Hers medium sized comfort band,cost $60. It looks real nice with my engagement band which was my lovely mother in law’s who has been dead for 3 years. After her her death, I had it redone and resized to fit me. I think of her all the time.
My best bargain I think was an opal and diamond ring set in 14k that I got for $35. I took it to the local jeweler to have it cleaned and inspected. I was told it need to have prongs replaced but a similar ring with smaller diamonds and less well made cost $225. After further inspection I was told that it was an exclusive design and was insured for life and would be repaired free. I had told them that I had just bought it at the pawn shop and was told that it didn’t matter, a lifetime guarantee is just that. They ended up replacing the opal too cause they discovered it had a small crack was may have broken soon.
I also have a heart shaped diamond inset pendant, several pair of ear rings, and a few gold charms that I got all very reasonally priced.
oh yeah, I love pawn shops.
I’m a guitar player. I live in pawn shops. My best deal? Only other guitarists will get this, but I got a Digitech RP-10 for $75–no box, no manual, no power converter. The RP-10 was selling used for about $150 at the time according to Harmony Central. I got the power converter for $35 elsewhere, and the upgrade chip (install-it-yourself) for another $75, including manual. End result? An RP-12 for the grand total of $185 when they were selling used for about $350.
Then there’s my Ibanez X-series I got for $100. Or the stereo in the living room. Or…to quote Yul Brenner, “Etcetera, etcetera.”
Got my acoustic guitar for $20. Needed a tuning key so I had all the machines replaced for $50. Bought a case used for $5. Spent a grand total of $75 on a guitar that now plays as well or better than many guitars I’ve tried out at stores that go for several hundred dollars. (It isn’t a brand name, but I don’t care for labels, I care for sound!)
I’ve gotten some good stuff from pawn shops. I got a 6 CD changer for $45 because the remote was missing from the one that was priced at that, so they gave me the one they had marked at $80 for the same price.
I got a VCR for $25 that’s been fine for 2 years, 4 head, remote, on screen programming, can’t complain.
I got a RotoZip spiral saw for half the price of a new one. I love the thing. I buy drills and saws for $5 or $10 to use for just utility work.
I love looking around pawn shops.
Jim